Seal-lock.



H. ELMBLAD.

' I SEAL LOGK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.16, 1908.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

HJALMAR LMBLAD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SEAL-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

Application :filed March 16, 1908. Serial No. 421,542.

To @ZZ whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, I-IJALMAR ELMBLAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seal-Locks, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which corresponding letters of reference in the different figures indicate like parts.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple form of seal-lock, which shall be especially applicable to receptacles, such, for example, as safety deposit boxes, for the preservation of private documents and other valuables.

To this end my invention consists in the combination of elements hereinafter more particularly described and definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of an ordinary safety deposit box having a seal-lock applied thereto embodying the features of my invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken upon the line 2 2, Fig. 1, viewed in the direction of the arrow there shown, Fig. 3 is a view of the locking mechanism as seen from the interior of the inclosure, Fig. 4 is a face view of a sealing strip, and Fig. 5 is an elevation of a portion of the box front, showing a special plate thereon.

Referring to the drawings, a represents the body of a box having a cover Z9 which is hinged thereto at c, Fig. 1. Countersunk within the lid or closure of the box is a plate Z which may be either integral with the lid itself or permanently and rigidly attached thereto by means of brazing, riveting, soldering or otherwise. Fitted with-in the depression formed by the countersunk portion is a flat plate e, the rear end of which is hinged at f to the part (Z as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The plate e is intended, except at the forward and rear ends, to ll the space between the walls of the countersunk portion and is adjusted to lie substantially flush with the outer face of the lid or with the iiange g of the part Z which is attached to said lid. The plate Z is provided with the opening L, Figs. l and 3, for the reception of a detent c' which is rig- Iv idlyattached to the inner face of the plate e, the same being beveled as shown at j and provided with a notch 7c, Fig. 1, for the reception of a spring Z upon the under face of the plate CZ. Said spring is preferably bent as shown, one end being rigidly attached to a lug m permanently attached to the plate CZ, while the other end is free. A guard or loop n, also rigidly attached to said plate, serves to hold the free end of the spring in position against the plate Z while permitting a free movement of said spring in and out of the notch Zc. A flat spring o, Fig. 1, is attached to the inner face of the part c and serves to hold it normally raised in an inclined position when not locked. Upon pressing the part e down against the action of the spring 0, the detent z' is caused to enter the opening ZL and the beveled portion y', coming in contact with the spring Z, serves to push the latter back until the plate is fully depressed when the spring Z enters the notch and locks the plate in place.

A downwardly extended hook p is rigidly and permanently attached to the front end of the box below the lid, for engaging with a liexible seal g, a face view of which is shown in Fig. 4. Said seal consists of a flat strip of any suitable material, preferably provided with a perforation r therein, adapted to receive the hook p. It is my purpose to make said hook of a strong but brittle material incapable of being bent without breaking, to prevent the temporary removal and return of the seal. Teeth s are formed upon the forward end of the plate c, the length of which is such as to enable them to rest upon the face of the plate eZ or to extend through the openings therein.

Upon the upper face of the vpart Z I provide a specially prepared surface t, Figs. l and 2, adapted to receive writing or a special imprint, such, for example,-as a thumbmark, but preferably the former, which surface, when the plate CZ is shut down and locked, is shielded from access, so that any writing or mark thereon would be effectually protected. This surface may consist of specially prepared paint or enamel which may be renewed from time to time. A like I prepared surface u is provided upon a front l plate l0,'Figs. l and 5, over the front of which the hook 72 is caused to project and to which it is by preference rigidly at` tached. In attaching the plate o tothe box a, I prefer to make two or more perforations therein and to solder the same to said box through said perforations. This method would enable the solder to spread laterally around the opening between the plate and box body and to fill said openings, after which the surface could be smoothed off and covered with the preparation u. The dotted lines fw indicate the lines of the solder beneath said prepared surface, upon which the signature of the user may be placed to correspond with that upon the seal and upon the surface t. The signature being written across the soldered portions, as shown in Fig. 5. Any attempt to drill out said portions would result in the defacement of a portion of the signature.

Having thus described the several parts of my improved device, I will now explain its operation: The seal g is first connected with the part r, as shown in Fig. l, and thence drawn taut over the box lid with its free end in the depression formed by the plate d, the plate e being assumed, of course, to be held by the spring o in its unlocked position. As soon as the free end of the seal is projected over the depression, the plate e is forced down, thereby causing the detent z' or the teeth s, one or both, to puncture the seal, when the detent z', passing through the openings in the plate l has its notch lc engaged by the spring Z and is effectually locked in position. Vhen this is done the seal is dated and signed by the user who is assumed to have previously placed the corresponding date and signature upon the protected surfaces t and a. Vhen it is desired to open the box, the seal is broken, the lid opened and upon withdrawing the spring Z from the notch 7c the plate e is lifted by the action of the spring o ready to be again sealed.

Inasmuch as the marks upon the seal and surface t are required to correspond, the diiiculty of tampering with the seal even in the most skilful manner becomes greatly increased.

The teeth s may form the direct securing elements of one end of the sealing strip; but I prefer to pass the part z' through said strip as described.v Any attempt, however, to pull the seal out causes the teeth s to enter and tear it, thereby indicating that it has been tampered with, although it may not be entirely broken.

It is obvious, of course, that the connec tions for the-sealing strip may be reversed. That is to say the hook or its equivalent may be placed upon the closure and the locking portion upon the body of the structure without departing from the principle involved; but I prefer the construction described.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, I claim:

l. The combination with a receptacle and a closure therefor, of means upon one of them for engaging a sealing element to con nect it with the other, a lock upon the other comprising a movable plate jointedly connected to a wall having a recess therein arranged to be covered by said plate, the outer surface of said plate being substantially iiush with that of said wall, a latch-hook upon the inner face of said plate, said latch-hook being formed to pass through an opening in said wall, means upon the inner face of said wall for engaging said latch-hook, a sealing element, and means upon the inner face of said plate for engaging said sealing element.

2. The combination with a structure and a closure therefor, of means upon one of them for engaging a sealing element to connect it with the other, a lock upon the other comprising a movable plate jointedly connected to a wall having a recess therein arranged to be covered by said plate, a latch-hook upon the inner face of said plate, said latch-hook being adjusted to pass through an opening in said wall, means upon the inner face of said wall for engaging said latch-hook, a sealing element, means upon said plate for engaging said sealing element, and a prepared surface located beneath said plate when the latter is locked for receiving a predetermined private mark, said surface forming a non-transferable part of the nonremovable element to which it is applied.

3. The combination with a structure and a closure, of means upon one of them for engaging a sealing element to connect it with the other, a lock upon the other comprising a wall having a recess therein for the reception of one portion of the sealing element, a movable plate upon said wall arranged to cover said recess, a latch-hook upon the inner face of said plate formed to pass through an opening in said wall, means upon the inner face of said wall for engaging said latchhook, a sealing element, means upon the inner face of said plate for engaging said sealing element, a non-transferable prepared surface beneath said plate for receiving a predetermined mark to correspond to one upon said sealing element, and a like surface formed upon the wall with which is connected the primary means for engaging said sealing element, whereby an attempt to remove the seal securingelements may serve to deface said marks.

4. The combination with a structure and `tion With the other, said means being formed closure therefor, of means upon one of them In testimony whereof, I have signed this f or engaging a sealing element for connecl specication in the presence of two subscribl0 ing Witnesses, this 14th day of March 1908. from a rigid brittle material incapable of i bending Without breakage, a lock upon the Wtne ses, other for engaging said sealing element and l s means upon the interior of said structure for D. H. FLETCHER,

securing said lock. i CARRIE E. JORDAN.

HJ ALMAR ELMBLAD. 

